Chicken Broccoli Bake is creamy and cheesy, and true comfort food filled with all the good stuff! This is a very easy chicken casserole dish to put together, and will please the kids as much as the adults. No canned cream

soups are used with this recipe, which I think gives this dish a lighter and more authentic flavor.

Steamed broccoli florets are combined with fresh lemon juice, then placed in a casserole dish. Slices (or chunks, whichever you prefer) of chicken breast and wide noodles are mixed into a creamy sauce made with milk, cheddar cheese and sour cream, which is then poured over the broccoli. This tasty mixture is then topped with cooked and crumbled bacon and a top crust made of fresh bread crumbs, butter and Parmesan cheese that crisps to a beautiful golden brown in the oven. Chicken Broccoli Bake bakes in about 20 minutes, and if not completely gobbled the first time, will provide you with tasty leftovers that heat up quickly in the microwave. Tip: If you'd like to save time (about 10-15 minutes cooking time), you can omit the bacon and use pre-cooked frozen broccoli florets, though the crumbled bacon and fresh broccoli taste great!).

Directions

Cook bacon until crisp. Set aside until cool, them crumble into pieces and set aside.

Cook noodles according to directions. While noodles are cooking, prepare broccoli (directions follow).

Heat about 1 inch of water to boiling in a medium saucepan. Place rinsed florets in a vegetable steamer over boiling water and cover. Steam for 4 minutes, then immediately remove from water and transfer florets to a 9x12 or 9x13-inch casserole dish. Pour lemon juice over broccoli and gently toss to combine. Arrange florets evenly in casserole dish. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine soft bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and whisk or stir to combine. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and whisk or stir again until blended. Set aside.

Cut thicker pieces of chicken in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces (this will allow the chicken to cook more quickly and evenly). Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a large skillet. Heat until butter is melted, combining oil and butter. Add chicken pieces to skillet and cook over medium-high heat on both sides until lightly browned and no pink remains in center (about 5 minutes per side). (Note: Leave bits and pieces in skillet to use later with the sauce.) Transfer chicken to a cutting board and cut into bite-size slices or cubes. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Melt the last 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Add flour mixture to melted butter and whisk until blended to create a "roux." Pour milk into roux, whisking constantly until thoroughly blended and mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove skillet from heat, then stir in shredded cheese and continue stirring until cheese has fully melted. Add sour cream and stir to blend. Stir chicken pieces and noodles into cheese sauce, then pour entire mixture over broccoli in casserole dish.

Evenly sprinkle crumbled bacon over the top of the casserole, then scatter bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of all. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until sauce appears bubbly and bread crumb topping has turned a light golden brown and appears slightly crispy. Serve.